Ments



(No Model.)

0. P. STOCK, De0d.,

N. G. MOORE, administrator. TRAP FOR THROWING TARGETS.

No. 322,020. v Patented July 14, 1885.

ezwzwzwzcz N, PETERS. PholO-Lilhngmphen Waihinglfln. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. STOCK, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS; N. GRIER MOORE, ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID CHARLES F. STOCK, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE PEORIA TARGET COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TRAP FOR THROWING TARGETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,020, dated July 14, 1885.

Application filed October 13, 1884. (No model.)

Toall whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. S'rooK, a citizen of the United States, residing in Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois,

' have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps for Throwing Flying Targets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to that class of traps which are designed to send or throw through the air targets made of light fragile material, usually called clay pigeons, 7 said traps having a throwing or sending arm which holds the target upon one end, and which is operated from the other end. In the traps heretofore patented and now in use the target has been removably secured to the sending or throwing arm by means of a tongue or cord secured to the target engaging a spring device on the end of the arm. WVhen this arm is swung round to throw the target, centrifugal force will give to it an uncertain amount of axial rotation; but, as found by practical experience, this impulse is not suflicient to overcome the force of the wind which may be blowing at the time, nor have the targets sufficient axial rotation to cause an even and steady flight; consequently they wabble more or less, and cannot be thrown to any considerable o distance, nor is the distance to which they can be thrown at all positive.

My improvement consists in providing the end of the sending or throwing arm with a pivotal clamping and automatically-releasing 5 device, so constructed that the target is securely held in place while the sending-arm is being swung around, and arranged in such manner as to automatically release the target when in proper position for being thrown, and at the same time, by means of a pin or other stop,to give the target more axial rotation than it otherwise would receive by reason of centrifugal force alone. These features and the advantages of my invention willmore fully appear by reference to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

'and Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of parts hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Arepresents the throwing or sending arm of a trap, suitably pivoted at b on a standard, 13, which arm is operated by a cord, 0. The target A is provided with lugs, projections, or recesses a, which engage with proper pins or projections ,d and e,on the clamping-arms D E. The arm D is pivoted to the swinging arm A at d, and I secure or pivot the arm E to said arm D at c. The end of the arm A is provided with a cam, a, which operates on the pin or roller e on the end of the arm E. The flange d and rubber ring or washer d serve to secure the target more firmly when clasped by the arms D and E.

The operation of my invention is as follows: I first place the clamping-arm on one side of the arm A, so that the pin or roller 6 will rest against the cam a at a point nearest the center or pivot d, as shown in Fig. 3, and then, placing one of the lugs against the pin r, I secure the edge or rim of the target under the flange d pressing it against the washer d as I hook the pin 0 onthe other lug of the target. The trap is now set and ready for use, as shown in Fig. 1. The cord 0 is now pulled and the arm A caused'to swing around on b as a center into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. As the arm E comes around, the cam a causes the pin or roller 6 to operate, and on e as a pivot the arm E is thrown out, and thus releases one of the lugs on the target A, and as the target starts on its flight the pin 01, holding the target back, as it were, by means of the disengaged lug, gives to the target a positive axial rotation. The target will thus be given an even and steady flight of sixty-five to seventy-five yards.

I have shown what I deem to be the best method of reducing my invention to practice, but do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown in the drawings, as modifications thereof will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the line ofiniprovenients to which my invention relates, which may be used with very good results and without departing from the principle thereof.

My invention is very simple, durable, and effective, requires no nice adjustment, has no weal; parts to break or complicated parts to get out of order, and is quite cheap to lnanit iactnre.

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a trap for throwing targets, the target-clamping device herein shown and de scribed, pivoted at or near the end of the throwing-arm of a trap, in combination with a double or two faced cam formed on the end of said arm, and a depending projection or pin on the clamping device, which bears; against the earn during the swing of the l clamping device, releasing the same by its I escape from the ca1n,and thereby allowing the target to escape, substantially as set forth.

2. In a trap for throwing targets, the clamping deviceshown,consistingol'thearin D,piv0ted near the end ofthe throwing-arm ofthe trap, having pin (Z on one end, and the arm E,pro vided with pin 0 and. roller c' pivoted at e to the arm D, substantially as specified.

8. In a trap for sending targets, the clamping device consisting of the arm D, pivotally secured at or near the end of the throwingarm of the trap, provided at one end with the engaging pin (Land at the other end with the pivoted arm E, having Margot-engaging pin, in. combination with the frictional washer d, secured by the pin or pivot d to the arm A, whereby, with the pins (1 and c,the targets are held in place, substantially as specified.

CHARLES F. STOCK.

\Vitncsses:

Jenn T. NnrLsoN, FRANK II. J GK. 

